the story in which Alex Seattle Geer is right for hating enclosed spaces,

[doubletap]

and Neil Park is blamed for his knowledge of vaults.

---

Terminal Entries:

1st Floor, Vault Entry-Room Computer:
- Data Entry 1: Year 20XX, Month XX; There's no escape.
- Holotape Entry 1: Y#4@ SDhig^8705 H98 [data corrupted]; This is hell and I want out of it.

1st Floor, Cafeteria Luncheon:
- Holotape Entry 2: Private Recording; I've had better?

1st Floor, Cafeteria Supply Room:
- Inventory List: Inventory List; A list of food....
- Data Entry 2: Shift Notes; Maybe I should tear the walls down.

1st Floor, Broken Cave:
- Data Entry 3: Preparations; Everything's fine.
- Data Entry 4: Near the End; I'll tell you the truth, but I won't give up my soul.
- Data Entry 5: Finally, the End is at Hand.; This is far enough.

1st Floor, Office:
- Data Entry 6: Vault-Wide Public Service Announcement; Get back to work everyone.
- Data Entry 7: Locked Administrative Reply; You're reaching for straws.

1st Floor, Administrative Secretary's Office:
- Data Entry 8: Drama Hoes; It is sort of funny that people aren't able to lie, though.
- Holotape Entry 3: Bill Self-Log; Byron's access still works everywhere.

Comments

[doubletap]

[ That shuffling starts again.

It's closer now, but far too faint--even Alex has a hard time hearing it. He crouches down suddenly, passing a hand below the paint. ]

I don't doubt anything when it comes to these vaults.

[ Including, it seems, an invisible hole. The wall is solid; if there was a hole there, it's been sealed over. But--

His eyes drop to the dirty linoleum. To the one tile cleaner than the rest. Leaning his rifle against the wall, he works his fingers into the edges of the tile, eventually lifting it up.

Revealing a switch. ]

Like I said. I don't doubt a thing.

[goodfight]

[The old man becomes occupied with the wall, following an invisible trail. They are rewarded with a switch for his efforts.

Neil whistles.]

Nice.

[doubletap]

[ Alex doesn't respond, just looks back at Neil before reaching back for his rifle. A switch, in Alex's experience, either means nothing or a horde of enemies.

He flips it.

Below the red letters, the bottom part of the grimy wall shudders and begins to slide away. ]

[goodfight]

[Neil understands the gesture and grudgingly readies his rifle.

Instead of outright death, however, part of the wall slides away to reveal potential death. A tunnel, from the looks of it, one that will require two grown men to crawl through.

Sighing, Neil shoulders his weapon and reaches for his 10mm. He then ducks down to get a better vantage. The tunnel is obscured by darkness, but that is easily fixed with a simple matter.

Dr. Lesko was a horrible human being, but his horribleness did bring about one particularly useful trait. Neil concentrates on his surroundings, on the minute vibrations around and beyond his current position. It isn't long before he speaks.]

Something's moving in there.

[doubletap]

[ Where Alex is accented by technology, Neil holds claim to biological modifications. The Lone Wanderer concentrates, and Alex guesses he's picking up the vibrations from ahead.

Alex, however, has an easier way of dealing with things. He's kept something on him since the Divide, something he never uses except in dark places (just in case...). A hand slips back to a lower pocket of his pack and the flaregun comes out, always loaded and ready (just in case...).

Without explanation, he fires once, a blinding streak moving through the dark until it explodes to worser and brighter light. Something in the darkness squeals, a sound in-between surprise and pain, and all Alex knows is that's not a sound made by the things he fears. ]

Good enough.

[ Is the mutter, and he slips through the hole to move through the tunnel. ]

[goodfight]

[The Courier appears to have a flare gun in his possession, a device Neil has never seen the other use in all of their time spent. Before he could process this update, however, the weapon is fired into the tunnel, effectively blinding Neil to what is ahead.

Not entirely, of course. The distressed sound rings familiar to one who has whacked molerats with enough enthusiasm to call concern.]

Pretty intense for a molerat.

[He says as creeps forward toward the tunnel.]

I've never seen that before. The flare gun.